What would cause this skid mark on truck?

I am in LE and it doesn’t work like it does in the movies. I can almost guarantee you wouldn’t get a useable print from the outside of a vehicle. And if you do get a print, you have to have a subject to compare it to. The only database we can check is the fbi. But that is only from prior criminals who were printed and the police received probable cause to be able to submit the prints. However that database is dependent on the quality of the print and if the police even submitted it. Very few cases get solved based off latent prints.

 

When I see a scuff on my truck I just blame my wife and generally I'm not far off.

 

Yeah unfortunately many things don’t work. Including a bunch of your own. I get it, hands tied, for profit criminal justice, etc. That is why I just try to outwit and pay insurance vs relying on the system in place. What about prints on the ice chest?

 

Maybe if the scumbag had left a "real" skid mark, some trace could have been collected for DNA analysis.

You would still need a reference sample to compare. Realistically, there is a lower threshold where the cost of resources required to solve the crime far exceed the value of the theft. Scumbags are going to be scumbags, and there's a new crop of aspiring trainees every year. Law enforcement has to conserve valuable resources for the more serious crimes the journeyman criminals have committed.

You have the right idea though; harden the target, remove obvious temptation, be prepared and equipped to protect yourself and family.

 

As I said before, in a perfect world our tax dollars would be budgeted more effectively. They can catch who they want to catch. Like you said resources are thin and costly. However, there is also a cost for letting the situation deteriorate and we are seeing the result of ignoring the problem for too long. Just let this logic continue, we are in for a rough ugly ride into the future with only ourselves to blame.

 

It depends on if it sat out in the elements and how long. In good conditions you could probably get a print off the chest, but youd still need something to compare it to. We use one of the best labs in the country and they still rarely match prints. I’ve even touched evidence before and sent my own prints in for elimination and they couldn’t match it. This was on a prescription pill bottle that I immediately fumed.

Latent prints division isnt my favorite. Also most local PDs don’t care unless there was a huge loss. Most take your info and do a report but don’t really follow up. In the OPs case, I’d try to swab for trace dna and hope I get a hit from the codis database. But being outside, any trace evidence could be lost too. If they reached in the truck, could be hairs or something left behind.

 

There’s been several times I was told that they saw it on tv so I must be able to do it. A lot of people think we have a lab in our basement that can solve everything. These TVs shows always seem to solve the crime right at 60 min.

 

That's my point, they are written off as insignificant and even joked about. All as society just continues to degrade. At what point will everyone be asking "where did we go wrong"? The obvious answer is we are already asking and now it is likely too late to correct, especially with money and greed being a bigger problem than the crime. Just ignore, joke, etc. Then don't complain when it happens to you folks. I would rather prevent a problem than solve one.

 

That is funny and so true.

 

I had someone at Lowes scrape the shit out of the side of my truck with whatever they bought.

Couldnt find them but it buffed out. Took a lot of work but i am amazed at what I can do with a buffer and the right media thanks to this place.

I ran over a bucket of white paint (Its on a post here) and it took some time to get that off as well. Fell off a truck that just kept going.

 

So the skid marks was just a dirty truck

 

As for a print database, here when we get a dl our thumb print is taken. Now if I were grabbing anything, chances are good my thumb is making contact. Just another gross waste of tax dollars if we aren't taking full advantage of the data set that is on tap. Yes, I know, it won't happen. Which sucks balls!

 

They made me realize how dirty the truck actually was lol. I did try the old WD-40 trick first with no success. Rubbing compound and a little elbow grease worked like magic. Only problem is now that it’s clean I’ve realized the truck needs a fresh coat of wax. Then that lead me to think my boat could also use a fresh coat of wax while it’s still somewhat cold out. There goes my Saturday morning!

 

If you want to wax, I will suggest a good carnuba paste heavily applied, let it haze, sprinkle with a heavy dusting of corn starch, then just easily wipe away with clean terry cloth. You will not be buffing and there will be no swirl marks. Then just rinse off the dust. Trust me you will love the easy process and great results. Enjoy man!

 

I hear ya but those usually can’t be used. When your thumb print was taken, you weren’t under rights advisement or suspected of a crime. So LE can’t use them for criminal cases. This gets close to the debate between a tracker for everyone vs individual rights. I think most people would not be ok with the govt taking mandatory prints and dna when you turn a certain age and keeping it in a database that can be used against you.

Even the constitution can be argued that it favors criminals as in innocent until proven guilty. Goes back to the question - would you rather someone guilty go free or someone innocent wrongly convicted and go to jail.

Edit- I’m way off topic. Glad to see the OP got his truck fixed.

 

Well now that goes back to if they want to catch em they likely can. Such as a mass shooter or some other domestic terrorism suspect. Now, let me ask about satellite video on clear days, I imagine you can't disclose much, but again, if the shoe fits, I firmly believe the technology does exist and is used. Care to elaborate? On top of that there is the good old cell phone that everyone is carrying to show who is where when. Like I said if it really comes down to it, we can spend a few dollars and likely find a high priority suspect. Does that mean we can nail them, maybe not. However, we could and do infiltrate their network and conduct a sting operation or just conduct surveillance and record acrivities until we have enough to convict. Just saying IMO there is much room for improvement. Thanks for sharing your knowledge on the subject! Always a pleasure to converse with those who have a substantial amount of knowledge on a given subject.

 

LE doesn’t use satellites for video like on tv. I don’t think satellites pass over enough to be able to use. But we do get surveillance video. There is cctv everywhere and it easy to obtain and watch. Some places also have cameras set up for license plate readers, so we can find out where your car was too. Plus if someone is doing something crazy then someone else probably has their cell phone out. There is hardly a case where we don’t collect the subjects cell phone. Not only will the phone tell us where the person was, but we can also get cell records from the provider which will show what towers your phone pinged on and where you where pretty accurately.